Page 38 of Love Fast

I’m going to have to brace myself for the worst-case scenario. I’m impatient to know where we’re going to end up. It’s only when I know what we have to fix that I’ll know how to get us there.

I groan and collapse on the couch, Athena yelping as I catch her tail on the way down. “Sorry, cat,” I say.

“What happens when you move up to the Colorado Club?” Rosey says from the door of the bedroom. “Will you be able to take Athena?”

I glance over at her and wish I hadn’t. Her cheeks are pink from the heat of the shower. The tank top she’s wearing fits snugly over her breasts, and rides a little high so I can see a couple of inches of the golden skin on her stomach.

“Let’s not borrow trouble.” I look away, shaking my head, like I’m trying to empty all the dirty thoughts I’m having about Rosey. The weight of her breasts in my hands, the heat of her skin, how wet she’d be if I slid my fingers into her right now. I need to take some of my own advice. I don’t know why I can’t just let things take their course. There’s nothing I can do to change the direction of a storm. I push my hands through my hair.

“You’re stressed,” she says.

“A little,” I admit. Her being here is making it worse, but I don’t say that. Having to control myself around her is more difficult than I expected. She’s filled up this space with her infectious smile, her chatter, her goddamn cat.

“Will it affect the opening?” she asks.

“Don’t know yet.” I hope fucking not. There’s way too much money at stake. “You should get some sleep,” I say. “In case the storm keeps you awake tonight.”

“I don’t have work tomorrow,” she says. “Don’t worry about me.”

“You can take my bed,” I say. “I can stay out here on the couch.”

She sighs. “There’s no way I’m taking your bed when you’ve already given me a place to stay and rescued me from a collapsing roof. Athena and I will be good on the couch.”

“I need the kitchen. You take the bedroom.”

“You need the kitchen? Why?”

“I like to cook when it’s like this.”

“When it’s raining?”

“No, when… when it feels like life’s in limbo. Like the coin has been tossed and it’s up in the air and I’m just waiting for it to land.”

“Youcookin these situations?”

“I do. Comfort food. Beef ragu is my first port of call.”

“Nice!” she says enthusiastically. “Are you good? Am I going to love it?”

Did I say I was cooking for her? Typically, I have the urge to hide away when life gets difficult. I have a tight friend group back in New York. I know they’d do anything for me—listen to my problems, help me find solutions, lend me money, introduce me to all the right people. The problem is, when things get difficult, I always retreat. I pull back from reality, figure it out and then come out guns blazing.

Rosey being here is forcing me to stay engaged with the world.

“Yeah,” I say, shooting her a look. “You’re going to love it.”

“You want a hand?” she asks, pressing a kiss to Athena’s head.

“I don’t. Turn on the TV. Let’s listen to the weather report while I get started.”

The kitchen area’s small, which is something I’m grateful for when the world seems too big. All the prep surfaces are against the wall, so I’m facing away from Rosey while I dice onions and press garlic. I listen as she talks to the cat and makes the odd comment on the local weather map.

“Oh, that sounds promising, doesn’t it?” she asks.

“What does?” I ask. I haven’t been listening to anything but the chop of the knife and Rosey’s chatter. It’s oddly meditative.

“They think wind speeds are coming down.”

“They can just as easily climb back up.”

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